Ditching-machine.



E. P. KNAPE.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION'FILED 1uLY 19.1916.

Lma.,

v WITNESSES Y E N R 0 T T vemgnszrxet-mman, or TWIN FALLS, IDAHO.y

DlTQHNG-MAGHINE-r ofthe invention is to provide a machine'of the character d'escribedhaving'an improved frame construction,A so r constructed that the frame may'be vertically adjusted throughV the medium of` av latch lever and'pivote'd links' and to further provide improved cut` ting blades and mounting: for the same.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide improved 4wheel Scrapers and' improved" wheels so constructed that they'will form ditch'es when moving through the dirt loosened by the cuttingblades.

Another object ofv the invention is to provide a machine ofthe'. character described which will'be comparatively simple in .construction and which will be very` simple vto operate. Y

This invention is illustratedinthe accompanying drawings l n Figure 1`is a top plan view 'of the improved machine with the outer portion of" the tongue removed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved machine disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a rocker forming part of the adjusting means for the frame.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a link forming part of the adjusting means.

Fig. 5 is .a perspective view of a yoke which limits the swinging movement of the rocker in one direction by engagement with the rear end portion of the tongue.

The frame is provided with side bars 10 which are connected at their rear ends by the cross bar 11 and have their forward end portions 12 extending in converging relation and connected with the top 13 by means of the bolt 14. An intermediate longitudinally extending bar 15 extends from the cross bar 11 and has its forward end connected with the tongue 13 by the bolt 14 between the tongue and one of the side bars and its rear end connected with the cross bar 11 by bolt 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The axle 16 is journaled in. the bearings SpeeeationI of Letters Patent.

'Application filled I uly `19", 1916*I Serial No'. 110,161.

17carried by the side b ars 10 and carries the wheels 18 which have their treadvfpor'- tions rounded as shownin Figs. 1 and-2 andV are provided with 'heavy tapered hubs.v

These'hubs-merge into the'tread portions of the wheels and thereforefwhen in use these wheels willV form v ditches.

by the'side bars 10. By placingy the yfoot upon gthel treadle `22`, thel Scrapers may beVl brought into engagement with the wheelsand earth adhering jto the wheels thus re` moved. Thistreadle is positioned Vadjacent the drivers-seat 23 which has its standard 24connected withv thccrossbar by bolts 16 and 24" and braced by the' bracing arm-25 connected with the center'bar 15 andl therefore this trea'dle can be easilyreached-when desired.

The-cutting blades or shovels 26 are provided f with' standards 27v similar to plow-4 beams which areA connected with the brack'Y ets 28y mounted upon the rocker sha-ft'29y which shaftI is journaled in the `bearings 30- carried'by they sidebars 10-and center bar-15. A' latch leverr 31 isy pivotally connected with the rack 32 carried by the center bar15 and is provided with a draw bar or llink 33which is connected with the lever 34 extending upwardly from the rocker shaft 29. It will thus be seen that by moving the latch lever, the shovels 26 may be brought into and out of engagement with the ground.

In order to adjust the frame there is provided a latch lever 35 which is pivotally carried bythe rack 36 secured to the center bar 15 to the rear of the latch lever 31. A draw bar or rod 37 extends forwardly Afrom this latch lever 35 and is connected with the triangular rocker plate 38 pivotally connected with the upper end portions of the links 39 which in their turn are pivotally connected with the rear end portion of the tongue 13 by means of the bolt 40. The rocker plate 38 has one corner portion pivotally connected with the link 41 and arms 42 of the yoke 43 and it will be seen that when the latch lever is moved to swing the rocker plate 38 rearwardly, the forward end portion of the frame will be swung upwardly and the rear end portion of the tongue 13 will be swung downwardly. The yoke 43 acts as an abutment or stop to limit the rearward swinging movement of this plate 38.

Patented oet. 16,191 :ijf

Scrapers 195 whichareforked to conform to the contour'-r of the wheels are connected with'the rockershaft 20journaled in the bearings 21 v'carried Therefore the frame cannot be swung upwardly beyond a desired'amount vand there will be no danger whatever of the plate 38 swinging rearwardly to such an extent that further movement would cause a downward 26 willvcut into the ground the proper distance and at the proper angle. As the machine is moved along the road, the shovels will cut into the ground and thus loosen the earth. The rollers will follow in the tracks made by these shovels and the loose dirt will be compressed by the rollers thus forming the ditches. By regulating the depth to which the-shovels cut, the depth of. the ditches can `be easily controlled and thus the ditches will not be formed too deep. When it is no longer desired to cut the earth, the levers can be adjusted tov swing the shovels out of engagement with the ground andthe machine can then be drawn over the roador eld without cutting into the ground.-

What is claimed is 1. A ditching machine including a frame having side bars and a center bar, a tongue having its rear portions pivotally connected with said bar, an axle connected with said side bars, supporting wheels mounted upon said axle, links pivotally connected with the rear end portion of said tongue, a substantially triangular rocker plate having its rear base portion pivotally connected with said Copies of this patent may be obtained vfor 2. A ditching machine including a frame, a tongue having its rearv portion pivotally connected'with said frame, an axle connected with said frame, supporting wheels mounted upon said axle, links pivotallyv connected with the rear portion of said tongue, a rocker plate .having its rear base portion pivotally connected with said links, a yoke extending about the rear end portion of said tongue, a link pivotally connected with said frame, said yoker yand'last mentionedl link being pivotally connected with the forward base portion of said rocker plate, and means connected with the upper portion of said rocker plate for swinging the rocker plate to vertically adjust the frame and releasably hold the frame in the vertically adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. Y

Y ERNEST P. KNAPE. Witnesses: Y v

VIOLET KARIS, ARTHUR B. WmsoN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

